Christian faith on life and death

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala*

“THE Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Lk 9,22)

These words of Christ show us the general trajectory of our life here on earth. Like Christ, we have to expect all sorts of suffering and death. But we should never forget that there is also the resurrection. This is what our Christian faith tells us about our life and death here on earth.

Thus, St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans stressed this truth of our faith by saying, “If we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (6,8) How important, therefore, for us to carve these words of Christ and St. Paul in our mind and heart, so that we can have the proper understanding and appreciation of everything in our life, including our sufferings and death!

In short, as long as we are with Christ, we can expect the resurrection, the victory over sin and death, if we suffer and die also with Christ. We need to do everything to live by this truth of our faith so we can go through the drama of our life in peace, joy and confidence. We can avoid unnecessary worries.

Let us also remember that the best condition we can enjoy in our earthly life is when we are with Christ. We would know how to handle any situation properly. And as St. Paul again said it in his Letter to the Romans, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8,28)

This should strongly motivate us to know, love and serve God who has revealed himself fully in Christ. And as far as Christ is concerned, he has left us with the beautiful story of his life, his teaching, his Church and the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist where he makes himself entirely available to us, even making himself the Bread of Life for us to eat and achieve the highest communion we can have with him here on earth.

We really do not have any excuse why we cannot go through our life, with all its ups and down, in a manner that would always be marked by joy, peace and hope. We should try our best to be always guided by our Christian faith in our general attitude toward life and death.

With this Christian faith, we will always feel reassured and can echo what St. Paul once said: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?...But thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15,55.57)

We should spread this Good News about our Christian faith on life and death. We know that many of us are still ignorant about it, or worse, not convinced by it, and thus we unnecessarily suffer the consequences. Where there is supposed to be only joy and peace, we are often hounded by fear, worries, sadness and the like.

Let us always strengthen the conviction that the best condition for us to be in 

*Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

GMA Pinoy TV mounts major US concert

(Left) Bea Alonzo and Dingdong Dantes

This September 24 and 25, GMA Pinoy TV — GMA's flagship international channel — brings its biggest 17th-anniversary treat via "Together Again: A GMA Pinoy TV @ 17 Concert."

The two-night concert features a powerhouse cast headlined by multi-awarded actress and box office icon Bea Alonzo, Kapuso Comedy Concert Queen Aiai Delas Alas, Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha, Asia's Limitless Star Julie Anne San Jose, Kapuso Total Heartthrob Rayver Cruz, and Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes.

The two consecutive nights will be filled with vibrant musical performances sprinkled with laughter and games for the Filipino Kapuso abroad. The first show is booked at the Pechanga Theater, Pechanga Resort Casino, in Temecula, California.

The show starts at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. Alonzo, who gladly celebrates many firsts as a Kapuso, shared how excited she is to join the concert. "I will be on the GMA Pinoy TV with my fellow Kapuso stars, and excited ako kasi I want to give the Pinoys abroad the entertainment and the joy that they so deserve dahil ang dami nating pinagdaanan this past year."

"Mga Kapuso abroad, ito na po ang hinihintay ninyo na concert. Malapit na malapit na po at sana'y manood kayo," delas Alas, who is now waiting for the rest of the Philippine contingent, added.

"I am overjoyed because GMA Pinoy TV is going to have a concert once again here in the US," said Misalucha, who is also residing in the States right now.

"I am going to be performing with my kumare and my co-judge in 'The Clash,' Ms. Aiai delas Alas. Not only that, I will also be performing with this very adorable couple, Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose.

Kasama rin po natin dito sa GMA Pinoy TV concert in the US ang napakaguwapong si Dingdong Dantes at ang very beautiful na si Bea Alonzo."

San Jose is sure to give her limitless talent in performing for her kababayan, saying, "We're very excited to show to everyone kung ano 'yung mga inihinanda naming prod numbers. It's also a great opportunity for all of us kasi makikita namin ulit 'yung mga Kapuso natin abroad after a very long time."

"Sobrang excited kasi ang tagal na nga na panahon after New York, ilang years ago 'yun, so excited na kami makita 'yung mga Kapuso namin d'yan sa Amerika," Cruz added.

Dantes, who was last in the US in 2018 with GMA Pinoy TV, says he is looking forward to be together again with the Kapuso abroad. "Ang saya kasi iba talaga 'yung pakiramdam na makita mo at makausap mo sila nang harapan. Iba rin kasi kapag online."

Together Again: A GMA Pinoy TV @ 17 Concert is presented by Pechanga Resort Casino in association with GMA Pinoy TV, Starmedia Entertainment, and GMA Synergy. Tickets are on sale now at the following websites: www.pechanga.com, www.ticketmaster.com, and www.starmediaentertainment.com.

PH is 'next big thing in Asia'

By Catherine S. Valente

NEW YORK: The country's business group believes that the Philippines is "the next big thing in Asia," assuring American investors that the Philippine economy has a "massive" potential under the "inclusive and collaborative leadership" of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

In his address at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), businessman Sabin Aboitiz, lead convenor of the President's Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), underscored Marcos' efforts "to assure you of the integrity, stability and solidarity of his administration and of the Philippine economic system... and to unlock the massive economic potential our country has to offer, with the help of good friends like you."

"So, we are here today to support our President and his genuine efforts to revitalize this relationship and remind you of our commitment. We support his efforts to assure you of the integrity, of the stability, and the solidarity of his administration and the Philippine economic system, which is not without wounds but neither without the determination to heal them," Aboitiz said.

Busy day President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets Boeing officials. Contributed photo

"We live in uncertain times. But in our corner of the world, the Philippines remains one of Asia's fastest growing economies," he added.

Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, told American investors that with the pandemic now largely out of the way, "we're back on the fast track accelerating out of recovery mode and on to the promising possibilities of the future."

"Now more than ever, with the dawn of a new era of digital progress and an environment that has never been more enabling and conducive for business, the Philippines is right for investment," he said.

With the average Filipino being 23 years old, Aboitiz said that the country has a large pool of young, competent and reliable human resources.

"Our workforce is educated, English proficient, strongly customer-oriented, highly trainable and adaptable to different cultures," he said.

Being a critical entry point for over 600 million people in the Asean region, the Philippines, he added, "has easy access to key markets which is a gateway to the East Asian economies and is at the crossroads of international shipping lanes and airline routes."

'Manila, Jakarta deals to build Asean peace'

"Our numerous operating economic zones and IT parks around the country are fully equipped with support capabilities that make it easy for companies of any size and from any part of the world to set up shop and conduct business with convenience and effectivity," he said.

The country also has "bountiful and beautiful natural resources that provide investment opportunities in our agriculture and tourism industries."

"Our business process outsourcing, electronics, manufacturing, creative, maritime resources and export industries have similar potential with track records of success. And with a strong private public partnership, we are aggressively building the critical infrastructure needed to support all our industries and enable businesses to grow and thrive on a globally competitive scale," he said.

"But most importantly, we have a strong leader with a compelling vision and a political will to realize it. With a unified support of our Congress and the Filipino people, the new Marcos administration is taking a whole-of-government and -nation approach to deliver on its promise to transform our economy."

NYSE exec sees strong PH-US markets

He cited Marcos' success in getting "30 of our country's busiest CEOs to voluntarily work for him and for our country."

"This is why we work for him — because he listens to reason and gets things done. Because he has the humility to seek the help of those who know more in order to provide help to those who need more," Aboitiz said.

Among the high-level businessmen who joined Marcos in his US trip are Enrique Razon, chairman and president of International Container Terminal Services Inc.; Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman and president of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.; Ramon S. Ang, president and CEO of San Miguel Corp.; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman of Ayala Corp.; Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of JG Summit Holdings; Hans Sy, director of SM Prime Holdings; and Doris Magsaysay-Ho, president and CEO of Magsaysay Group, among others.

Binibining Pilipinas sends off three queens for international pageants

From left: Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2022 Chelsea Fernandez, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental 2022 Gabrielle Camille Basiano, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2022 Roberta Angela Tamondong

by Robert Requintina, Manila Bulletin

Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) held an exclusive send-off program for its three reigning Binibining Pilipinas queens at the Monet Ballroom 3 of Novotel Manila Araneta City on Monday, Sept. 19.

Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental Gabrielle Camille Basiano, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Chelsea Fernandez, and Binibining Pilipinas Grand International Roberta Tamondong were feted with this celebration as they are just weeks before their flight to their respective international pageants.

The gathering brought together friends, family, and pageant media in a show of support for our country’s latest representatives. During the send-off, the queens thanked their fans and supporters, and asked for continued support as they try to bring honor to the country internationally.

Basiano, Eastern Samar’s pride, will be the first to compete at the Miss Intercontinental beauty pageant in Sharm El Sheik in Egypt on Oct. 14 (Oct. 15 in Manila). She aims to follow the footsteps of reigning Miss Intercontinental 2021 Cinderella Obenita through a back-to-back win for the country.

Fernandez, the Tacloban beauty, follows suit as she will compete at The Miss Globe pageant in Tirana, Albania on Oct. 15 (Oct. 16 in Manila). She also aims for a back-to-back win for the country after Maureen Montagne clinched the Miss Globe title in 2021.

Hailing from Laguna, Tamondong will vie for the Miss Grand International crown on October 25 in Bali, Indonesia. She aims to bring home the very first MGI crown for the Philippines.

The send-off program was also attended by Binibining Pilipinas International 2021 Hannah Arnold, Binibining Pilipinas International 2022 Nicole Borromeo, Binibining Pilipinas 1st runner-up Herlene Budol and Binibining Pilipinas 2nd runner-up Stacey Gabriel who expressed their message of support to their queen sisters. BPCI Chairperson Stella Araneta also relayed a message to the queens through BPCI Executive Committee member Irene Jose.

Marcos turns emotional as he sets foot in New York

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

NEW JERSEY, USA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. became emotional as he reminisced about his life in the United States, noting that this was the first time in 25 years that he had set foot in New York, a place that he holds dear in his heart.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. turns emotional as he marks his return to New York after 25 years, reminiscing how he and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos first met. (Argyll Geducos)

Marcos said this during his meeting with the members of the Filipino community here on Sunday evening, September 18 (New Jersey time).

In his speech, Marcos, who was visibly overwhelmed by emotions, said New York was special to him and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos as this is where they first met.

“Sa New York kami nagkakilala. At siguro mga tatlong taon niya akong niligawan (We met in New York and she courted me for three years),” he said.

“Matagal na kaming hindi nakabalik. Parating kami from New Jersey papunta dito sa New York sa city, eh tinitingnan namin, 25 years na kaming hindi nakabalik (We haven’t been here for a while. When we were going from New Jersey to New York, we realized that we haven’t been here for about 25 years),” he added.

According to the President, he was happy to see the places he used to go to when he was still studying at Wharton, like the New Jersey Turnpike.

How did the two meet?

The President said he would visit his mother, the former First Lady Imelda Marcos, in New York from Philadelphia in 1986 and meet Araneta-Marcos, who was already working in the Big Apple as a lawyer for about six to seven years.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. turns emotional as he marks his return to New York after 25 years, reminiscing how he and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos first met. (Argyll Geducos)

“Nagkakilala kami in court, sa korte. Habang hinahantay ko ‘yung kaso ng mother ko, siya naman ay bumibisita dahil kaibigan niya yung isang abugado namin at ayun (We met in Court. While I was waiting for my mother’s case, she would visit because one of our lawyers was her friend. That’s it),” he said.

Marcos even joked that his first-born, Ilocos Norte First District Representative Sandro Marcos, should be thankful to New York.

“Kaya Sandro, magpasalamat ka sa New York. Kung hindi sa New York, wala ka (So Sandro, you should thank New York because if not for New York, you wouldn’t be here),” he said.

President Marcos is in the United States for the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he will deliver a speech at the High-Level General Debate on September 20 (New York time).

This is the first time Marcos sets foot in the US in over a decade. A contempt order worth $353 million was issued by the District Court of Hawaii in 2011 against the Marcoses concerning human rights abuses linked to his late father’s regime.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Marcos, as head of state, can invoke his immunity when he visits the US.

However, not everybody was happy with President Marcos’ visit to the US as anti-Marcos protesters trooped to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark where he met the Filipino community. The critics protested his arrival and condemned the corruption and alleged human rights violations that “paved the way for the Marcos-Duterte administration.”

Our will needs to be properly anchored

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WHEN Christ was told that his mother and relatives were around and would like to see him, he said it very clearly that his mother and brothers and sisters are those who do the will of his heavenly Father. (cfr. Lk 8,19-21)

The response of Christ is a clear indication that for us to be part of God’s family, as we should since we are not only ordinary creatures of his but rather the masterpiece of his creation since we have been created in his image and likeness, our will should channel and reflect the will of God. 

Our will should not just be floating around on its own, thinking that it is how it enjoys its freedom. We need to acknowledge that our will is a creation of God and is meant to be united to God’s will since we have been created in his image and likeness. We need to acknowledge the truth that our real freedom is when our will is united to the will of God.

This, definitely, is not an easy task to do, given the fact that it is precisely in our will where we choose whether we would like to be with God, to be part of his family, or to be simply on our own. And given how we handle this issue, starting with our first parents all the way to the present, we always have the strong tendency to think that our will is simply our own.

We therefore have to be strongly wary of this danger and do everything we can to avoid it. I suppose it goes without saying that we need to be frequently reminded that our will needs to be anchored on the will of God. That’s how our will acquires its proper status.

We have to learn to live always by God’s will. This is a basic truth that we need to spread around more widely and abidingly, since it is steadily and even systematically forgotten and, nowadays, even contradicted in many instances. We need to inculcate this truth to children as early as when they can understand and appreciate it. Then let’s give them the example of how it is lived.

We have to realize that God’s will is the source of everything in the universe. The whole of creation in all its existence, unity, truth, goodness and beauty starts from God’s will and is maintained by it. The entire range and scope of reality—be it material or spiritual, natural or supernatural, temporal or eternal—is “contained” there, not only theoretically but also ‘in vivo.’

It would be absurd to believe that the whole reality can be captured by our senses and feelings alone, or by our intelligence that is working on its own and producing the arts and the sciences that we now have and that we continue to discover.

It would be equally absurd to speculate that we cannot know the origin of the universe, or that the whole cosmos just came to be more or less spontaneously, directly contradicting a basic principle that from nothing, nothing comes.

In the end, we have to realize that we can only be in the orbit of truth and everything that is good when we unite our will with the will of God. The only thing to happen when we are not united with God’s will is to sin, to do evil.

Let’s follow the example of Mary who with her ‘Fiat’ during the Annunciation opened the path of our reconciliation with God.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐬 𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐛𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐠𝐢 𝐬𝐚 “𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬”

 

Isip panapos nga programa sa pagselebrar sa Sports Fest 2022 sa mga empleyado sa PLGU-Davao de Oro, gibatigbabaw gayud sa home-grown talents sa kapitolyo ang ilang kahanas sa musika pinaagi sa gipahigayong "Battle of the Bands" didto mismo sa Capitol Grounds karung hapona.

Sa maong kompetisyon nahimong Champion o 1st Place ang Team Captain America "The Captain America Band", gisundan kini sa Team Thor "The Golden Collective Band" isip 2nd Place, Team Hulk "D' Hulkage Band" isip 3rd Place ug Team Iron Man "The Metallic Band" isip 4th Place.

Sa maong panapos, nakigtimbayayong usab si Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga inubanan ni 2nd District Representative Congressman Ruwel Peter Gonzaga diin mipadayag sila sa makanunayong supporta alang sa mga empleyado sa kapitolyo. "We are committed...andam kaayu musupport sa tanang paagi para malipay atong empleyado. kaning tanan para ni kaninyo as an avenue nga madevelop atong sportsmanship" matud ni Gov. Gonzaga. 

Midugang usab ug cash prize si Gov. Dorthy Gonzaga ug Cong. Ruwel Gonzaga ngadto sa tanang teams ug working committee nga maoy nahimong instrumento sa pagkamalamupuson sa gipahigayong aktibidad.

Unang gipahigayon sa kabuntagon ang championship games sa nakadaiyang sports events diin mas nipatigbabaaw ang sportsmanship ug healthy competition sa matag team arun masungkit ang kampyonato sa sports fest karung tuiga. 

Present usab si Acting Provincial Administrator Fatima Montejo, Vice Gov. Tyron Uy, Senior Board Member Herv Zamora, Board Member Vivencia Secuya,  PHRMDO Head Lara Zaphire Kristy Bermejo ug uban pang nga department heads diin mipakita usab sa ilang takos nga pasalamat sa kalampusan sa programa.

(J. Fernandez, PAO-IPRD DdO, photos by A. Dayao)

DoT, DoLE launch tourism job fair

TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco. Photo from Department of Tourism 

By Moises Cruz, Manila Times

September 20, 2022

TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco announced on Monday that the pre-registration for the first three legs of the Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso! The Philippine Tourism Job Fair, the flagship employment initiative of the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), is now accessible to job seekers.

"To further assist our kababayan, the DoT and DoLE have opened the pre-registration for all three legs of the fair, covering one step of the application process," Garcia-Frasco said.

"This enables the job seekers to focus instead on the core of the event: getting to know the participating establishments and companies, and determining the career openings," she added.

Applicants for the Manila leg, which will take place from September 22 to 24 at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City, can register at https://bit.ly/philtourismjobfair .

Job searchers for the Cebu leg, which will be held at SM City Cebu from September 22 to 23, may pre-register at https://bit.ly/cebuphiltourismjobfair.

Job seekers may register in advance for the Davao leg, which will take place from September 22 to 23 at Abreeza Mall Davao, at https://bit.ly/davaophiltourismjobfair.

There are 7,510 job openings in 147 establishments across three major locations in accommodation establishments, travel and tour services, meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) facilities and organizers, tourist transport operators, health and wellness services, restaurant and food service, and other tourism-related establishments.

"While the DoT continues to work toward President Marcos' vision for tourism to contribute greatly to our country's economic resurgence, we understand the need for this to be met with efforts to fortify the tourism and allied industry workforce," Garcia-Frasco said.

"We could not be more grateful enough to the DoLE, the local government units, and all our partners in the private sector who have supported us in this important endeavor to bring back lost jobs and to present new opportunities for employment in the tourism industry to our fellow Filipinos," she added.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE TOURISM SECTOR

The Trabaho, Turismo, and Asenso! Philippine Tourism Job Fair will begin at 8 a.m. on September 22, with simultaneous opening ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. in all three venues.

Rains bring floods in parts of Metro Manila as LGUs cancel classes

By Francis Earl Cueto

September 20, 2022

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday recorded flooding in several roads in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to monsoon rains.

According to an MMDA flood alert as of 7:53 a.m., gutter-deep floods could be seen along EDSA-POEA southbound; MIA-Domestic westbound; EDSA-Ortigas southbound in front of POEA; EDSA-Ortigas northbound on ramp and southbound off ramp.

The MMDA also reported above gutter-level floods along E. Rodriguez-Araneta northbound.

Meanwhile, classes in all levels both public and private were suspended in Rizal while Valenzuela City called off afternoon classes.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the southwest monsoon (habagat) is currently affecting Central and Southern Luzon.

Oil firms cut pump prices of diesel, kerosene

By Eireene Jairee Gomez, 

September 20, 2022

Caltex, Cleanfuel, Petro Gazz, Phoenix Petroleum, Unioil, Seaoil, Flying V and Shell lowered the cost of diesel by P4.15 per liter.

Caltex, Seaoil, Flying V and Shell said they will slash kerosene prices by P4.45 per liter.

The cost of gasoline, which was cut by P0.45 per liter last week, remains the same.

Industry experts said the decline in oil prices in the world market was mainly due to weak demand.

Last September 12, oil firms reduced the cost of gasoline by P0.45 per liter, diesel by P1.45 per liter, and kerosene by P1.70 per liter.

The Department of Energy said the year-to-date net increase has so far reached P16.50 per liter for gasoline, P34.80 per liter for diesel, and P29.90 per liter for kerosene.